From 2010 to 2024, there were 33,489 domestic violence police reports, according to data from the Central Statistical Office (CSO). A breakdown of the figures showed that of the 33,489 domestic violence reports recorded, 17,189 were for “assault by beating,” which accounted for 51.3 per cent.
For the same period, there were 443 murders/suicides, with the highest documented number being 43 cases in 2017 and the lowest being 15 cases in 2015. From January 1 to April 8, more than a dozen women have been murdered in T&T this year.
The murders/suicides were just one of 11 domestic violence offences listed on the CSO’s website, provided by the Crime and Problem Analysis (CAPA) Branch of the T&T Police Service. The list provided data on murders/homicides, sexual abuse, wounding with intent, assault by beating, malicious damage, threats, verbal abuse, breach of protection order, child abuse and abandonment, financial abuse and other emotional/psychological abuse.
According to the data, the highest number of reports that police received was for “assault by beating”. In 2023, that number was 2,646 reports, the highest recorded figure in the 15 years. The year 2019 had the fewest reports of 477.
